World Introvert Day has the best timing (January 2nd). I'm sitting here after a week of reflection, self-care and love, and healing from 2020, and watching Perks of Being a Wallflower which makes me feel seen and understood.
As an introvert who influences individuals to become their best selves as leaders and individual contributors full-time, filling up my cup is a priority. The more you give, the more you need. It has taken me far too long to prioritize and really understand what that looks like for me, but 2020 forced me to figure it out sooner rather later. I decided the best way to reflect and capture that in the simplest, most digestible way would be to share what specifically fills me up...my favorite things. Not only are these my favorite things, but they are what got me through 2020 in one piece. I hope it inspires you to understand what "filling your cup before pouring out" really means for you.
1) My community of lovely, magical, and supportive humans. "You become like the 5 people you spend the most time with" - couldn't be more true. I'm far from rich when it comes to $$$, but I'm very wealthy when it comes to people. It's humbling and makes my heart and soul feel squeezed.
2) Podcasts, specifically....
Impact Theory with Tom Bilyeu
YouTurn with Ashley Stahl
Anxious Achiever (HBR)
A Single Serving
Unlocking Us with Brene Brown
Coaching for Leaders
ON Purpose with Jay Shetty
TED Radio Hour
Scrubbing In
Upfirst (NPR)
3) Books, specifically...
How Yoga Works
The Art of Gathering
Gifts of Imperfection
The Power of Now
Blindspots
The Alchemist
The Celestine Prophecy
Master Storytelling
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
4) Supportive supplements for anxiety, stress management, and health (though I am not a doctor, this is just what I've found works well for me).
- Ashwagandha made by Gaia Herbs (I'm not affiliated.)
- Women's Multi and Vitamin D made by the New Chapter (I'm not affiliated with any brands I'm including, but I love them - B Corp, organic, sustainable sourcing, welfare of people, climate-friendly farming)
- In addition to supportive supplements but related, this year I leaned into the importance of what I'm putting into my body, and continuing to increase my intentionality with my health. I'm thankful to be healthy overall, but I've been managing some challenges and doing my own research on what feels and works best for my body. This includes food for me too. I experimented with being vegetarian, pescatarian, and vegan. I personally found that labels aren't helpful, but finding my favorite 10 recipes that made me feel the best was key. Also, I don't know who needs to hear this, but if you are fortunate to have good medical care KNOW what your health insurance covers and take advantage of what benefits are available to you - USE THEM. Have regular lab work done. If you want mental health support, see what your insurance covers. See what they offer to pay for therapy. Feel empowered that this information and support is at your fingertips and ask questions. You don't have to do it alone. It's worth it and helpful to have your own dynamic professional support team - no shame required.
5) Experimenting with skincare and hair care to find the best results. I found several specific products, a cleansing oil by Burt's Bees being one, that have changed and helped my skin (I tend to have dry skin especially in the winter). One of my goals is to feel confident with or without makeup and finding the right routine and products has lead me to feel so much more confident in my skin. I also found that I love Living Proof hair products. I didn't love all of them, but I found a shampoo and conditioner, as well as a couple of other products that have worked really well on my hair. I use an app called Think Dirty to check how "clean" a product is. I'm also going to regularly get a professional facial. I've only had two facials in my lifetime, one recently, and wow it was a mistake to wait until I was 30 to figure out it's an incredible idea. That being said, I also plan to continue doing at-home exfoliating and facials regularly. Life-changing and life-giving.
6) Peloton workouts, an at-home fitness routine, and regular outdoor nature walks/hikes/bike rides/stand-up paddleboard/play time. Playing, moving our bodies, and getting outside are beautiful ways to find and feel joy. Do it all more, enough said. Life is short. Live. Laugh. Love. :P
7) Having a consistent meditation and gratitude practice. Both help me to slow down and be present. The world can overwhelm and move so fast around us there's a tendency to feel behind or not enough with how things just as they are. Routine meditation and gratitude help me feel peace and joy with how things just as they are more often. I‘m always on the chase for more growth, but then I get caught up in the rat race without appreciating the journey.
Get out there and find your favorite things, the things that fill you up so you can pour out. We all need each other's unique cups.
